Sugar High
by NordicsAwesome
Summary: Feliks knows how to handle the highs and lows of his diabetes, and the complications that come with it. But romance is another matter entirely – and when a kind stranger stops to help him in the street, he finds himself thrown into the chaos of awkwardness, flirting, and the possibility of second chances.


**Hey, remember me? It feels like it's been forever, but I'm back with another story! A huge thank you to gnostic-heretic and lotusdumpling for being amazing beta readers, you guys are awesome. Hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

It's not entirely a surprise when his body decides to try to kill him.

He's been feeling it coming for the best part of an hour, but there's not much he can do to stave off the oncoming hypo when he's in a lecture with a professor who whips around at the sound of a package crinkling or the barely audible hiss of a carbonated drink. Most professors are fairly chill, but this one won't even let him bring coffee without a vicious glare. Perhaps if Feliks were less awkward, he would argue his (extremely valid) point that he has diabetes and without access to food he could, well, die.

But he's a socially anxious mess, so instead he stays quiet and tries not to pass out.

Once the lecture is finally over, he stands shakily and heads for his dorm. Feliciano will already be home, and the moment they see him they'll be bombarding him with Lucozade and far too many slices of toast.

He smiles at the thought. Feliciano is ridiculously motherly for a nineteen-year-old, and Feliks wouldn't change them for the world.

Unfortunately, he doesn't make it to Feliciano, because by the time he's turning the corner to head towards the dorm, his head starts swimming and his legs quiver, and he finds himself slowly sinking to sit against the brick wall with his head ducked between his knees. With trembling hands, he reaches for his monitoring kit and clicks the needle against the pad of his index finger, then waits for the reading.

**_2.8_**

He sucks in a breath. Not good. Very not good. Especially sitting alone against a wall on a quiet afternoon on campus, with no one around to offer help. The humid air is closing in around him, suffocating, and perhaps if he called out someone would come to him - but he can't, he can't, he can't. He can't bear for anyone to see him like this. He just needs Feliciano. But his phone had died partway through the lecture, and his dorm is around a corner and up six flights of stairs, and there's no way he can get there without collapsing.

He can feel his heart stuttering in his chest, and his skin is prickling, although he can't tell if it's from anxiety or because this is the worst hypo he's had in a while and he might actually fucking die.

He's gonna die. Oh fuck, he's gonna die he's gonna die he's gonna _die_ –

"Are you alright?" The voice sounds strange, as if it's coming from underwater. Feliks looks up and sees a face leaning over him, unfocused – pale skin and soft brown hair and green eyes - and then there's a hand reaching out and hovering above him, as if they want to touch him but don't quite dare. "Do you need, uh, water or anything?"

He closes his eyes briefly and forces another breath into his leaden lungs. "Won't help."

"Shit, what can I do to help you? I don't know how to help you."

The urgency in his voice makes Feliks' throat tighten. "Juice," he whispers.

"I - what? Oh, shit, yeah, I've got juice, is orange okay?" Feliks resists the urge to roll his eyes. "Right, let me just - " There's the thump of a backpack hitting the ground, followed by rummaging and muffled curses, and then he's pressing something into Feliks' palm, something small and square with sharp corners – a juice box!

With a wave of almost nauseating relief, Feliks takes the plastic straw in his lips and sucks. The orange juice is sticky and acidic against his tongue. It makes him feel slightly sick, but he's never been more grateful. Thank god for kind strangers.

"Does that help?" The tentative voice sounds again, closer this time. Feliks looks up. The kind stranger is crouching in front of him, his backpack lying on the ground at his feet. He's watching him intently with concerned eyes. "You don't need an ambulance, do you?"

Feliks shakes his head. The movement feels heavy and syrupy, but everything is slightly more focused now – and yeah, maybe he's not going to die, after all. Anxiety brain can be a bitch. "No, I'm okay. This happens a lot."

This makes Kind Stranger look even more alarmed. "A lot? I don't think that's normal."

Despite his kind of pathetic situation, he chokes a laugh. "It's fine. I have diabetes. Hypos aren't great, but I can deal with them."

"Oh, okay." He seems relieved by this information. "I was worried it might've been because of the heat. Heatstroke can be pretty serious."

Feliks gives him a wan smile. "So can diabetes."

He immediately feels guilty when Kind Stranger recoils, stricken. "Oh no, I didn't mean it isn't serious! I'm so sorry, of course it's serious! I just meant – "

"It's okay, I was joking."

"Oh…haha…" Kind Stranger rubs the back of his neck awkwardly. "Even so, I'm sorry. I can be pretty tactless. I'm not great with people."

Feliks looks at his earnest expression and wonders why someone like him wouldn't be popular. Surely his kindness should attract good friends like moths to a light. "Seriously, you're fine. Neither am I. I'm not good at talking to strangers."

Kind Stranger cracks a tiny smile. "You're talking to me."

Feliks smiles back. "I guess I am."

He reaches over and lightly taps the juice box. "Drink some more. You're still shaking."

Obediently, he pokes the straw back into his mouth and takes another sip. "You sound like my roommate. They always fuss."

"I think I have a right to fuss," he says, with a defensive pout that is actually kind of cute. "You almost passed out in front of me."

"Touché."

They fall silent, and Feliks concentrates on sipping at his juice box and feeling the consciousness return to his body. Kind Stranger sits quietly in front of him, watching him with soft eyes and a gentle smile. Feliks can't meet his gaze without blushing. He's very cute, he thinks, despite his ugly sweater vest and bitten-down nails. Feliks wouldn't mind seeing him again, perhaps in better circumstances.

"What's your name?" He asks impulsively.

Kind Stranger blinks. "Uh, Toris. Laurinaitis. I'm an astrophysics major."

"Your name is almost as bad as mine. Feliks Łukasiewicz. I study Literature."

"Oh, Literature. That must be interesting."

Feliks grins at him. "You think it sounds terrible, don't you?"

Toris' eyes widen and he holds out his hands in defence. "No, no! It's just, my dyslexia makes reading kind of difficult for me, but I'm sure as an area of study it's fascinating – "

"If it's any consolation, science makes me want to cry."

"Honestly? Same." They both laugh. "But it's the closest I'll ever get to my childhood dream of going into space."

Feliks blinks at him. "Why can't you? Follow your dreams and all that."

He taps the thin wire rim of his glasses. "Don't have 20/20 vision."

"I don't think I could go into space either," he consoles him. "Anyway, I cry on rollercoasters, I'm not sure I could handle a rocket."

Toris pulls a face. "I went on a rollercoaster once. Never again."

Feliks laughs and drains the last drops of his juice box. He's feeling a lot better now – a little weak and shaky, perhaps, but no longer on the verge of death. A warm shower and a slice of Feliciano's home-made pizza sounds perfect right now, but more than that, he doesn't want to stop talking.

"Toris," he says gravely, looking him straight in the eye. "I have something serious to ask you, something that could make or break our friendship."

"Our – ? Oh, okay!" Toris flushes slightly, looking pleased. He swallows. "Go ahead."

He seems slightly terrified, but Feliks can't help but drag out the silence teasingly, before he asks, "In your professional opinion, does Pluto still count as a planet?"

Toris sits up straight. "Pluto will always be a planet. Fight me."

"I like you." Perhaps he wouldn't normally be so blunt, but his mind still feels hazy and scrambled. "Yeah, I definitely like you."

"Thank you?" Toris says, and he's a blushing mess, and Feliks might be slightly in love. Awkwardly, Toris casts his eyes about for a distraction. "Are you feeling better?"

Feliks smiles. Toris is definitely like Feliciano. "I'm fine now, seriously." He unpacks his monitor and checks again. "Look, 3.9. That's almost normal."

"Oh." Hesitantly, he asks, "Doesn't it hurt? The needle? Oh no, was that an insensitive question? I'm sorry – "

He laughs and cuts him off. "Don't worry, you're fine. It doesn't hurt anymore, I've been doing it since I was eight. You get used to it."

"I guess you would," Toris says. "You can get used to anything." Toris' phone chimes, and he swipes a finger across the screen and rolls his eyes fondly. "Oh, for God's sake, Alfred."

"Who's Alfred?" _A boyfriend?_ he wonders, looking at the affectionate expression on his face.

"My roommate. He's an idiot and a dickhead but I love him."

"Oh, your roommate. Good." That strikes a chord in Feliks' mind as he suddenly remembers; "Oh, fuck! Feliciano! They'll be worried."

"I can message them," Toris offers, already whipping out his phone again.

Feliks sighs in relief and gives him Feliciano's number. "Just tell them I'm outside the dorm and I had a hypo."

Barely two minutes later, Feliciano arrives, half-running with their phone in one hand and a bottle of Lucozade in the other. They reach them and scoop Feliks into such a tight hug they lift him bodily from the ground, then pull back to say, _Why didn't you message me sooner? You frightened me! Drink this._

They thrust the Lucozade at him, and Feliks smiles and pushes it gently away. _I'm okay, T-O-R-I-S gave me a juice box. I'm fine, I promise._

Feliciano eyes him critically. _T-O-R-I-S?_

Feliks gestures to Toris, who is lingering beside them with an awkward half-smile. _He found me here and stayed with me and gave me some juice, he's really kind! And he studies astrophysics, and he doesn't like rollercoasters either, and! And he knows that Pluto's still a planet._

Feliciano gives him a sideways look, smiling knowingly. Feliks blushes and rolls his eyes.

Licking their lips nervously, Feliciano turns to Toris and clears their throat. "Thank you for looking after Feliks," they enunciate carefully. Their intonation is slightly irregular, but otherwise their speech is very clear, and Feliks gives them a proud smile.

Toris nods, looking equally nervous, then hesitantly curves his hand in towards his chest. _You're welcome._

Feliks grins as he watches Feliciano's face light up. Toris clearly isn't fluent in ASL, or anywhere close, but just the effort is enough to make Feliciano overjoyed, and he can literally feel himself falling for Toris. Anyone who makes his best friend smile like that is someone special.

Feliciano flings their arms around Toris, who looks startled but pleased as he hugs them back. Carefully, Feliciano eases Feliks up from the wall and steadies him when his head spins, and Toris picks up his bag off the ground and helps him hang it over his shoulder. He checks his levels again, and he's pretty much normal now, but he's dying for some carbs.

They linger at the corner for a moment, neither of them wanting to leave.

"You can come up to the dorm with us, if you want," Feliks offers impulsively. "Number 132. I bet Feliciano will make you some pizza."

"I will," they confirm, their voice stronger and more confident. "But not pineapple because that's blasphemous."

Feliks pulls a face behind their back, and Toris stifles a laugh. "I wish I could, but I've already missed half a lecture."

A spear of guilt stabs into him. "Shit, I'm sorry."

"Don't apologise!" Feliciano and Toris exclaim in unison. They smile at each other, and Toris continues, "Seriously, it's fine. I'm glad I had the chance to meet you, Feliks."

"You, too." And then Toris is waving at them and walking away, and Feliks is not expecting the sadness that washes over him, because he doesn't want this to be an ending. Rationally, he knows that Toris only stopped to help him because he's a kind person, and now the crisis is averted, he has no obligation to stay in his life – but he'd felt something between them, and it hurts a little to think that Toris didn't feel feel the same.

He wants to call out to him, but Toris is already turning the corner and Feliciano is guiding him into the elevator in the lobby, and everything is back to normal.

_So_, Feliciano says as soon as the elevator doors slide shut. _T-O-R-I-S, hm?_ Feliks just sighs and shakes his head, pushing their hands away. Feliciano shrugs. _Pizza, then?_

Feliks gives them a weak smile. _Yeah, pizza. Extra pineapple._

_You heathen._

Feliks laughs half-heartedly. His mind is still distracted with thoughts of Toris, and the regret of _fuck, he should've got his number._

Yeah, this is definitely an ending.

With a sigh, he follows Feliciano into the dorm and shuts the door behind them.

—

Feliks has no classes the next day, so he rises late and spends the morning padding around the dorm in his pink bathrobe, sipping at a decaf americano. He has a ton of work to do, but it's one of those beautiful summer mornings with silky white light making patterns against the floorboards, and he wants to lament elegantly over his lost chance at romance like a tragic heroine.

Feliciano, a revoltingly cheerful morning person, makes them both pancakes, then sprawls on their stomach on the floor, taking advantage of the perfect lighting to snap aesthetic photos of flowers for their Instagram.

It's a quiet, lazy Saturday, so Feliks is totally unprepared for the knock at the door.

Expecting it to be some idiot from next door wanting to borrow detergent or something, he drags himself off the couch and slouches over to the door, tugging it open with a yawn. "Yes?" Then he freezes. "Oh, shit, Toris."

In an instant, his mind registers exactly how he must look; tattered pink gown, chipped nail polish, barefoot, bedhead – an utter mess. He kind of wants to slam the door in Toris' face, but that would be a dick move, and his heart has already leapt into his throat at the sight of him.

Toris' shy smile drops slightly. "Oh…did I come at a bad time? Sorry, I didn't mean to intrude."

"Wait, no, fuck, I am happy to see you. I'm really happy to see you. I just look disgusting right now."

"I think you look fine," Toris says earnestly, and Feliks feels his face heat up. "Um, I just wanted to make sure you were okay?"

Feliks blinks at him. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, you know," he shifts his feet uncomfortably. "After yesterday. I wanted to check that you're feeling better."

He stares at him for a moment, then splutters with laughter and pushes him playfully. "Oh, Toris! Hypos don't last that long – I'm fine, see? I was fine right after I got back to the dorm."

"Oh." His face is flushed, but he manages a tiny rueful grin. "Sorry, I don't know very much yet. I googled it, you know. Diabetes. I wanted to know what to do if something happened again, how to help in the future."

Feliks looks at him with wide eyes, lost and confused and a little hopeful. "In the future?"

If possible, Toris' face turns even more red. "I mean, only if you want to, of course. But like, I thought maybe you'd want to hang out again, as friends or – more? Shit, sorry, that's going way too fast. But – I thought you might want to get coffee with me?"

He says the last part in a rush, merging his words together and focusing intently on the ground. For a moment, Feliks is stunned. Then, slowly, a smile spreads across his face. "Hey, Toris." He waits until he looks up at him. "I would love to."

Toris' whole posture relaxes in relief, and his face lights up like the sun appearing through the clouds. "When?"

"This afternoon?"

Toris nods eagerly. "Yes, please, this afternoon."

"Okay, this afternoon."

"Okay."

"Okay."

They stand there for a long moment, grinning at each other like idiots. Feliks' face hurts from smiling so much. He feels like he could stay like this forever, lingering in the doorway to his dorm, but he can't help but ruin the moment. "Maybe okay will be our always."

Toris groans and pushes him in the chest, and he stumbles back a step, laughing. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

"You should be."

And then they're laughing again, and Feliks is asking, "Do you want to come in? You can have a pancake."

"Why do you always bribe me with food, Feliks Łukasiewicz?" He absolutely butchers his last name, but Feliks doesn't care. It's cute, coming from Toris.

"What else would you like me to bribe you with?" He wriggles his eyebrows seductively, and Toris groans again and flushes deeply. It's adorable how easily he blushes. "So do you want to come in?"

"I'm really sorry, I wish I could, but I'm meeting Alfred and his boyfriend for an early lunch." He smiles regretfully. "But I'll see you this afternoon, yeah?"

He smiles back. "Yeah."

"Okay."

"Okay."

Toris smirks. "Okay."

"Go away." Feliks pushes him out of the doorway, laughing. "Go eat lunch. I'll see you later."

"Goodbye, Feliks." Toris waves at him as he turns down the corridor. "I'll see you."

He waits until Toris has started to walk down the stairs, then slams the door shut and spins to face Feliciano. His roommate is standing behind him, hands on their hips and a delighted grin plastered across their face.

_I don't believe it. My baby has a date!_

_You're barely a year older than me_, he protests.

Feliciano just tuts and opens their arms. Feliks runs to them, flings his arms around their neck, and spins them both around in the middle of the floor, faster and faster until they're dizzy and breathless, because Feliks has a _date_. With _Toris Laurinaitis._

And nothing, he thinks, could be better than that.

—

He arrives at the coffee shop at just past four o'clock. Although Feliciano has done everything to make him feel brave – repainting his nails a pastel pink, dabbing his lips with shimmering gloss and a touch of silver sparkles on his eyelids, picking out a perfectly-coordinated 'casual' outfit from their combined wardrobes and completing it with a silk scarf draped elegantly around his neck – he's trembling a little, and he waits outside the shop for a few minutes, taking deep breaths to compose himself.

Through the wide window, he can see Toris sitting at a table for two. It's reassuring to see that he looks as nervous Feliks feels – he's fidgeting with his clasped hands, chewing on his lower lip and glancing anxiously towards the door.

Perhaps he thinks Feliks isn't coming. Perhaps he thinks Feliks has lied to him, stood him up, or has even just forgotten.

As if he could forget. He's been thinking about this all day, as Feliciano danced around him, getting him all dressed up and pretty. He looks down at his outfit, smiling. A light coral shirt combined with his cropped denim jacket with silver buttons and his Pride pin, a pair of Feliciano's shorts, and white sandals that show off his freshly-painted toenails. A butterfly-printed canvas handbag containing his phone and wallet and insulin pen is slung casually over one shoulder.

He takes a deep breath.

_You look beautiful,_ Feliciano had told him resolutely before he had left. _Even more beautiful than usual. Stunning. Gorgeous. Eye-catching. Absolutely magnificent – _

_Shut up! _He had complained, giggling, but he's grateful for the compliments now.

If Toris had thought he looked good in his ancient bathrobe, or when he was doubled over on the street trying not to pass out, then surely he'll like him in this. Hopefully, he'll like him in anything.

He walks to the entrance and pauses. Lowers his shoulders, straightens his back, lifts his chin high. Then, he summons all his strength and steps through the doorway.

The way Toris looks at him makes everything okay. His face lights up, radiant, his smile so bright it makes him glow. His hair falls to his shoulders in loose waves, a deep chestnut brown highlighted bronze in the afternoon sunlight. Feliks could look at him forever; his hair, his smile, his eyes.

And as he walks towards him, pulls out a chair, sits down, his heart is buzzing with the thought that this isn't an ending after all: it's only the beginning.

**_Fin._**

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**Thank you for reading! Please do favourite, follow or leave a comment if you enjoyed it (or if you didn't lol), it would make my day!**

** I'm sorry I haven't been active recently, life has been kicking my ass - but I have been posting a lot of short drabbles on my tumblr account nordicsawesome, so totally find me on there if you want, I'd love to get to know you all :)**

**Have an amazing Easter if you celebrate it, and if not have a great day anyways!**


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